Goaltending, it has been said, is 90% of the equation in hockey. And for top-ranked Michigan, it has been the key to much of the Wolverines’ success this season.
At a program that seemingly always has offensive depth, goaltending has been the missing link there in the past decade. But Michigan seemed to have that problem solved this season. They come to Minnesota this weekend with an 18-4-0 record, having lost just once since Thanksgiving.
And they also have a problem.
Freshman goalie Jack Ivankovic has been the every night puck-stopper for Michigan, and spent the holidays in the Twin Cities, winning a World Juniors bronze medal with Team Canada. Then disaster struck.
In a home win versus Notre Dame last weekend, Ivankovic was injured during a collision in the crease and is expected to miss the next month or more with a lower-body injury. The Wolverines will be playing another freshman, Stephen Peck, going forward.
Peck, who is from New York City, has one college game — a win — under his belt. Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said Ivankovic has been the team’s backbone this season and, despite the injury, they are planning more of the same when they visit a Gophers’ team that is 8-12-1 (4-6 Big Ten) and coming off a pair of road losses at Penn State last weekend.
“We’re not going to change our style of play because a different goalie’s in net,” Naurato said this week. “So, we have trust in Steve and will be good to go. Excited for the weekend.”
Gophers coach Bob Motzko is familiar with being forced to make a mid-season goalie change.
When he met with the media this week, it was four years to the day since Justen Close made his debut as Minnesota’s every night goalie after their mainstay — Jack LaFontaine — left the team in January 2022 to sign a professional contract. Forced to be “the guy” unexpectedly, Close backstopped a pair of trips to the Frozen Four, a pair of Big Ten titles, and a national runner-up finish in 2023.
“How many times have we seen that? A guy goes down, the next guy comes in and he’s just as good,” Motzko said. “The guy that went out had a terrific first half.”
Minnesota has not played a home game since before Thanksgiving and is quickly reaching a point of some desperation.
They’re sitting fifth in the seven-team conference and will likely have to win the conference tournament to get a NCAA tournament invite. As much as he believes veterans drive success, Motzko said one key to finishing strong will be getting his younger players to keep contributing.
“We don’t have a choice. That group is going to play in key roles,” Motzko said of his freshmen. “And we’re watching them grow up in front of us.”
Minnesota-Michigan is one of college hockey’s oldest rivalries, and there is a traveling trophy at stake, in addition to the host Gophers getting a shot at the team that sits atop the national polls. Motzko said rankings are of little importance anytime his team faces a foe wearing maize and blue.
“It wouldn’t matter what number you put by Michigan. They’re a really talented hockey team,” Motzko said. “Something we’ve gotten used to seeing around here. They’ve got offense out of all four lines and they’re feeling it.”
The games, at 3M Arena at Mariucci, face off at 7 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday.
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